William l



(No, Model I FREY.

LETTER BOX,

N0. 441,063. Patented Nov. 18, 1890.

x01 tweooeo atiozmaw/o UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM L. GODFREY, OF BROOKLYN,.NE\V YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOLEIVIS B. MCGREGOR AND RODERICK B. MITCHELL, JR.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,063, dated November18, 1890.

Application filed June 17, 1890- Serial No. 355,771. (No model.)

To all whom it ntay concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. GODFREY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention is an improvement in mailboxes; and it consists in thenovel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafterfully described. In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated oneform in whichlhave contemplated embodying my invention, and the same isfully disclosed in the following specification and claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mail-boxembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same. Fig. 3 is acentral vertical section of the same.

My invention relates especially to that class of mail-boxes which areattached to the supporting means on one side of the same, while theface-plate, through which the letters are dropped, is located on theother side. Letterboxes of this description are usually secured to adoor, gate, or partition; and my invention has for its object to providean adj ustable construction, by means of which the box can be secured tosupports of varying thicknesses, and the matter deposited in the boxguided in its passage from the face-plate into the box to prevent itfrom going amiss.

In the drawings 1 have shown my improved mail-box secured to twoadjacent bars of an iron gate,-fence, or other support; but I do notwish to limit the use of my invention to this particular connection, asit may be used with wooden doors and other supports, as will behereinafter described.

In the drawings, A represents the body of a mail-box of any usual orpreferred construction having the usual door a for the extraction of thematter deposited therein and having an aperture a adjacent to its upperend on the side opposite the door for the admission of such matter.

B represents an adjustable chute having the guiding portion adapted toengage the aperture 0, and provided on its outer edges with the flangeb. This flange b is slightly wider than the body of the box A, as shownin Fig. 2, and is provided with an aperture adjacent to each side of thesame adapted to register with similar apertures in cars a a cast with orsecured to the box A.

C is the ornamental face-plate, provided with the slit, through whichthe matter to be deposited is inserted, which is shown in this instanceas provided with the swinging closingplate 0 in a well-known way. Thisface-plate O is provided with two bolts 0' 0, preferably having theirheads cast integrally with the face-plate and adapted to engage theaperture of the chute and ears (1. a

D D represent two upright bars of an iron gate, fence, or otherpartition to which the mail-box is to be secured. In order to attach theherein-described parts, the box is placed in engagement with the rearface of the bars or rods D D at the desired height and the chute passedbetween said bars and into the aperture a of the box until the flange bof the chute engages the saw-bars D on the outside of the same. Theface-plate C is then placed in position, the two bolts 0 c engaging theapertures in flange b and the ears a a of the box A. Nuts 0 c are thenplaced on the screw-threaded ends of bolts 0' c and tightened so as toclamp the bars D D firmly between the face of the box A and the flange bof the chute, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, thus securing the box in thedesired position.

The guiding portion of the chute Bis made of sufficient length to enablethe parts to be secured to bars D of any thickness, thus forming anadjustable chute, which will extend from the outside to within the boxA, whether the bars to which the box is to be attached are of onethickness or another.

If it is desired to secure the box to a door of ordinary construction,an opening is cut in the door of sufficient size to accommodate theguiding portion of chute B, and the bolts 0 0 will extend throughsuitable apertures in the door at either side of such opening.

By means of the adjustable features before described the parts can beapplied and secured to doors of difierent thicknesses without anyalteration, the adjustable chute and nuts 0 compensating for the varyingthicknesses of different doors.

It will be seen that a box made according to my invention may be appliedto any door, gate, or other support to which it is desired' to secure itwithout any change or alteration by means of the adjustable parts abovedescribed.

In the drawings I have shown the faceplate 0 provided with the pivotedclosingplate 0, held in its closed position by a spring b'-. I prefer toprovide the front portion of chute B with an offset b in which islocated the spring I), one arm of which is mounted on a rod b saidspring extending over upon the rear face of the closing-plate. Thisconstruction is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The swingingclosing-plate is provided with trunnions which rest in suitable bearingsin the face-plate O in the usual manner.

In order to provide a box which not only is adapted to be secured to asupport of any thickness, but which also may be used on either side ofthe said support, I provide the supplemental slot E on the upper face ofsaid box, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or in the rear face, as shown inFig. 3, which slot may be provided with a spring-actuatingclosing-platee, if desired. WVhen it is desired to attach the box on the outer sideof the door, gate, or other support, the chute B may be dispensed withor pushed into the box until the flange b rests against the face of thesame, as desired. The face-plate C will then be made to engage the innerface of the door, the bolts 0 cpassing through the door and engaging theears a. a of the box, which are securely held to the door by means ofnuts, as before described. When used in this manner, the face-plate Cwill serve only as a means for holding the box in place, the mail-matterbeing deposited in the box through the supplemental slot and withdrawnthrough the door a, which is provided with a suitable lock.

The device is thus rendered a combinationbox, which may be placed on theoutside or inside of a door, gate, or other support and also possessesthe adjustable features described.

Instead of having the bolts 0' 0' pass through ears at the sides of thebox A, said bolts might extend through the wall of said box, and thenuts 0 0 could be applied within the box, or said bolts could passentirely through said box, if preferred; but the construction firstdescribed is my preferred form.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a mail-box, of the adjustable chute forengaging an aperture in said box, and adjustable securing means forholding said parts together and clamping a support between them, wherebysaid parts may be secured to supports of different thicknesses,substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a mail-box of the adjustable chute for engagingan aperture in said box, the face-plate having screw-bolts castintegrally therewith for holding said box, chute, and face-platetogether and clamping a support, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the mail-box, of the adjustable receiving-chutefor engaging an aperture in said box, and adjustable means for holdingsaid parts together and clamping a support between them, said box beingprovided with a supplemental receiving-aperture, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination, with a mail-box, of the adjustable chute adapted toengage an aperture in said box, a face-plate having a pivotedclosing-plate, and means for securing said parts together, said chutebeing provided with a spring for engaging said ,closing-plate,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM L. GODFREY.

